


For Better

by Auggusst



Series: The Soldier And The Scientist [42]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Eloping, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Moving In Together, Nick Fury Knows All, Nick Fury is a Good Bro, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Secret Marriage, Secret Wedding, Traditions, Wedding, not really an ending there will be more after this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-31 01:12:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19415386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Auggusst/pseuds/Auggusst
Summary: Sometimes, people have two weddings. Steve and Tony were some of those people. The first was a secret though, so maybe it didn't count. (It definitely did.)





	For Better

**Author's Note:**

> This is absolutely my apology for the Civil War train I've been riding. You'll be pleased to know the gods punished me tonight by playing it on TV while I was writing this.

Moodboard by mod Stella @therollingstonys on tumblr

* * *

In the end, they eloped.

It wasn’t a tough choice really. After waiting so long, Steve’s patience was wearing thin, and Tony couldn’t agree more. They’d been at the lake side cabin for a year by the time the new Avengers Facility was completed. It was half a year into their semi-permanent vacation that Steve popped the question, and Tony said yes, emphatically. Why should they wait? They knew each other better than most couples did after 10 years, and honestly, neither knew what the next 10 years would hold. Tony was sure he wanted to marry Steve. Of course he said yes. He’d never been so sure about a decision in his life.

There was a big wedding planned, naturally, with all of their friends and family. The engagement photos nearly broke social media, and plenty of congratulations streamed in from all around the globe. But as more arrangements were made, and more articles and news coverage and speculation arose, the desire to have a small, intimate ceremony became stronger. Steve didn’t need anyone but Tony, would probably forget the world when he was standing at the altar anyway, and honestly? So much of Tony’s life had been spent in the spotlight. He wanted this moment to belong to them only. He had waited so long, been through so much. They both had. He wanted to call Steve his forever, and he wanted to absorb the moment they joined without a billion flashing cameras.

They made the decision a few days before moving in to their new home, and two months before the big wedding. Steve brought it up one evening, as they packed the belongings they had gathered over the year renting the cabin. It wasn’t too much. Most of it was stuff from Tony’s office, or clothes. Naturally he had a compact drafting table and HUD. He had a small 3D printer for models as well. The big work was done at SI. After all, who would deny him the use of his own lab? Steve had plenty of art to pack as well. He’d created a whole body of work throughout their stay, and was working on another at the moment: a series of portraits of each of their friends, as they visited.

Tony had been in the middle of wrapping one of their photos when Steve brought up the idea of eloping. He needed little convincing. He was ecstatic about the idea, laughed and kissed Steve so hard they fell into the stack of boxes behind the blond. It was exactly the right course of action, and he wondered why he hadn’t thought of it before.

Eloping was risky, in a way. If Rhodey, or Bucky for that matter, knew that they had married in secret before the big day, there would be hell to pay. They were the two best men, after all, and each were not-so-secretly looking forward to it.

Tony had made his peace with Bucky over the last year, and now they could even be considered friends, which made Steve feel a type of happiness he never thought he’d feel. “My best friend and my best fella,” he said sometimes, when the three of them were together. Bucky’s therapy had worked wonders, and although he still needed help here and there, Tony became familiar with the charming, somewhat hilarious Bucky Barnes that Steve knew from his youth. It didn’t take much to understand why the blond had missed him all those years. Tony was glad for him, for both of them. Steve deserved that kind of happiness, and Bucky deserved a normal life, after the tortures he endured.

Happiness was going around, for the most part, which was difficult to imagine, given everyone’s history. Life was easy going, without the constant threat of death, and the couple became closer than ever. Both couldn’t help but feel like this was where they were meant to be, and this was how they were meant to be. All the troubles of the past had been necessary, to get to this point. They were still of opposite mind sometimes, and on the rare occasions an argument arose, the dirt was dug up, but in the end, it was always forgotten. Both knew the pain of separation. Neither were vying for a repeat. Not when they had been given a second chance.

They were both ready to make the most of it.

Tony had adjusted by now to his new limitations too, and dove back into work. There wasn’t much need for weaponry anymore. Thus far all of the threats the Avengers faced after Thanos were smaller, on an earthly scale instead of a galactic one. Everyone was grateful for that. The team had expanded a little, but each member was incredibly capable. Thankfully, Steve and Tony rarely had to join the fight. Besides repairs here and there, Tony didn’t need to design much for the team either, so he worked on his humanitarian efforts.

He talked with Pepper and developed a new line of aids for the disabled, offered at a quarter of the price of the other, less helpful devices currently offered to the public. He designed hearing aids, wheelchairs, prosthetics, pain relieving braces, and plenty more, with Bruce’s medical knowledge. He emphasized the work to combat climate change, and even had another Stark Expo in the works, which would feature some of Harley Keener’s newest endeavors and included behind the scenes access for one Peter Parker and his group of classmates.

That was further down the road, though. The wedding, or not-wedding, would come first.

All they needed was an ordained minister, after all, and a witness. The minister was easy enough to find. Anyone could keep a secret for a few thousand dollars. And it wasn’t like it would be a secret forever. Just two months. The witness? Well, that was another story. There was a lot of debate back and forth. Neither were sure their friends could keep a secret like this. More often than not the details of their relationship were passed around the table like complimentary bread. Turns out the Avengers had big mouths. Sooner or later, the choice became clear though. If someone would have told Tony ten years ago that he would be getting married, to Captain America, with Nick Fury in the room, he would have laughed so hard he cried.

Tony did end up crying, a little. They decided to do it before they moved, on their last day in the lake house. The sun was shining brightly and the breeze was nice that morning. The ceremony was held right out on the dock, with nothing more to mark it than a few flowers tied to the wooden posts. They dressed in the suits they had tailored for the big day. It was sort of funny, seeing two well groomed people on the edge of an old dock. Tony was a giggly mess meeting his partner before the minister, and Steve couldn’t have smiled wider if he tried. They supposed it was from the circumstances. Here they were, out in the middle of nowhere, in the progress of creating a monumental secret. They felt like children, doing something they weren’t supposed to. It was unexpected, perfect, and matched their relationship.

Despite his rough exterior, Fury seemed happy to be there too. Apparently it was a long time coming in his book. Tony wondered just how long. Fury wore his usual dark clothing, kept a firearm on his person out of habit, but they didn’t expect anything different. He would keep their secret, they were sure. Tony could already imagine the reactions when the others found out about all this. He couldn’t wait to tell them all, after the big day. There would no doubt be uproar. Rhodey would probably string him up by his feet. It would be worth it.

The whole thing was surprisingly short. Without the pageantry of a big wedding, Steve was able to confess his feelings earnestly, without distraction. He would save his written vows for the public thing. The words at this ceremony were from the heart, thought up on the spot. His hands shook a little around Tony’s, and he had to stop a few times to figure out how to finish his thoughts. Tony on the other hand couldn’t even finish his words, and instead tearfully begged the minister, “Can I just kiss him already?” That even got a chuckle out of Fury. Thankfully the minister said the final words, and the brunet practically flung himself into Steve’s arms, and kissed his husband for the first time.

They danced in the living room for hours, just the two of them, and shared a slice of ice cream cake from a local bakery.

Tony thought about it now, watching the blond through the rearview mirror as he began pulling boxes from the trunk of their car. He grinned, heart swelling as he twisted the ring on his left hand. He’d have to take it off before they joined the others for lunch(the rest of the team moved in two days ago) but right now he admired it, and looked forward to wearing it the rest of his life. He doubted their secret would be a secret for long, but it would be fun keeping it going. He wondered who would figure it out first.

Steve gave him a wide smile and a thumbs up from behind the car, and Tony nodded, pulling the vehicle around to the compound’s private carport. Both were looking forward to moving in, and seeing the team on a regular basis again. The time at the lake house was great, but the team was family. Tony looked forward to future group meals, to the jokes and laughter. He was sure a party or two would pop up in the coming weeks as well.

When Tony came back from parking the car, the boxes were all stacked neatly by the front door, waiting to be taken inside. Steve stood by them, and as Tony approached, he opened his arms to welcome him. The brunet slid between them without hesitation, jostled his glasses a little as he pressed his face against Steve’s chest. He drew back a few seconds later, and the soldier reached down to straighten the frames.

“So, what do you think of the place?” Tony asked, rubbing Steve’s back as they took in the exterior of their new home.

“Gorgeous, like everything you make. The rest of the compound too. I’m sure it’ll look even better from inside,” he replied, pressing a kiss to the brunet’s hair.

“Oh, wait ‘til you see your art studio. Tons of natural light. Kitchen’s pretty big. I know how you like room to cook. And the bedroom? Beautiful. Personally I’m happy to have a workshop again. At least, one that I don’t have to drive to.”

Steve watched him with adoration in his blue eyes. “Mhm, I’m sure. Come here you,” the blond said, before Tony could list every room in the building. He was proud of his design work, and would no doubt go into the details before they ever set foot in the place. Steve placed a gentle hand on the scientist’s neck, leaned down and captured his lips in a kiss.

Tony melted into it, placed his hands on the soldier’s shoulders and kissed him softly and sweetly. He had no intention of breaking away, wanting to savor this moment. Every kiss was still like the first, so many years ago. It wasn’t _that_ long ago, but their experiences could constitute a lifetime. What he wanted now was a lifetime of sweet kisses, of easy mornings and ‘I love you’s. Tony’s fingers tightened on the blond’s t-shirt. He never wanted to let go. He wanted to feel this safe and loved forever. Before he knew it, Steve was sweeping him up in his arms, like a bride.

Tony broke the kiss then, and rolled his eyes playfully. “Really?” he asked, shaking his head softly. What a sap.

“What? Maybe there’s just one tradition I don’t wanna break,” the soldier replied, moving to the front door. Tony couldn’t help but laugh at that. Of course Steve would want to carry him over the threshold of their new home. He should have seen it coming. In fact…

“Is this why you were so insistent on eloping?” the scientist asked, raising a brow. The timing was too coincidental. 

Steve averted his gaze, smiled smugly as he reached for the key in his pocket. Tony linked his arms around his neck as the soldier leaned forward. “What gave you that impression?” the blond asked, unlocking the door and pulling it open. His eyes swept over the foyer appreciatively.

Tony scoffed, looked down at the ground. “You’re unbelievable,” he said, but couldn’t hide his smile if he tried.

“I’m yours,” Steve replied, stepping into the building. The way he said it made Tony’s heart skip. It was true. After all this time, Steve was his, permanently. He couldn’t help but wonder if this was fate. Maybe all the misfortune and misery over the years were at an end. Maybe he had to suffer through them to get here. Maybe this was his reward. He couldn’t think of a better one.

“You’re mine,” Tony repeated, soft affection in his tone. He still had to convince himself. His brown eyes were filled with warmth as he looked up at Steve. “I’m yours. I always have been,” he said, and he meant it. Whether he knew it or not, his heart had always belonged to Steve Rogers.

Steve swallowed hard at that, and felt his heart swell. Another word and he would’ve been overwhelmed. He was already dizzy with elation. He never knew he could feel this happy. The best part was knowing that he could feel this way every day for the rest of his life. His past was filled with good and bad, and a whole lot of turmoil, but for the first time he was content to believe that the future would be nothing but kind.

He had found someone to spend the rest of his life with, and it was someone he never saw coming. It was impossible to see someone like Tony coming. Steve could have lived a million years and never have foreseen. He never could have anticipated what awaited him when he awoke from the ice. It was a long, strange journey thus far. There had been heartbreak, loss, and death, but also friendships, love and growth. He never knew what was on the horizon, but was starting to like it that way. The future was his to discover. The possibilities were endless, and he knew that no matter what came next, he would have the comfort of facing it with Tony at his side. They could handle whatever life would throw at them.

Steve set Tony down in favor of wrapping his arms around his husband’s waist. “How about we check out that studio?” he asked, looking around their new home with pride.

“Done deal,” Tony replied with a nod. He pulled the blond down for another kiss. “And then we christen the bedroom,” he muttered against the soldier’s lips.

Steve couldn’t help but laugh, and kissed him back. That wasn’t a bad idea. He cradled the brunet’s face between his hands, peppered it with kisses. “You’re ridiculous,” he said, drawing the brunet in for a hug.

“I know,” Tony replied, tightening his grip around Steve’s waist. He closed his eyes, and knew that he was finally, _finally_ , home.

Steve rested his head on his partner’s, and sighed contentedly. Who needed a big fancy wedding? All he needed was the man he loved by his side, and Tony would be there with him forever, regardless of what may come. For better or worse, marriage declared. They would hold on tight to their promise.

**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to Uncle Fury for keeping those crazy kids' secret.  
> Please leave a comment with your thoughts!


End file.
